Fearful Renegade

Eighteen

February 12th 2011

“So what if I’ve been there every fucking day? He’s my fucking dog!” AJ snapped as he stared at Siannah.

“I’m just saying Alex one day of going out isn’t going to hurt him.” Siannah replied.

“I don’t care Siannah I’m not going to Vancouver, if you want to then go fucking nuts.” He said as he walked over to the door, grabbed his jacket and went flying out the door.

By the time he got into the truck he regretted yelling at her but he started it anyways and headed to the clinic.  His mind was a whirl wind of thoughts between how Dew was doing, what was going on with Emily, and now Siannah was suffocating him.  Giant meal after giant meal, always wanting to sit and eat and now she was on his ass about going out.  He had enough on his mind couldn’t she just let him think.

He pulled up to the clinic and walked into the building.  He saw Becca behind the counter and walked over to her.  “Hey I’m here to see Dew”

“Where’s Sia?” Becca asked.

“At home probably cooking again” He sighed annoyed.

“She’s been cooking a lot?” Becca asked.

He looked at her.  “Yeah, like huge meals just for the two off us.”

“She’s stressed out” Becca told him.  “When she’s stressed she cooks.”

“Oh” AJ replied as the last few days started to kick in and now he really felt guilty. 

AJ gave her a light smile and then headed into the back.  He opened the door to the Staff Room and saw Dew lying on the floor on the blanket they brought him from home.  Siannah told him something with AJ’s sent will help keep him calmed and relaxed.

“Dew my man what’s up” AJ said as he sat down beside his dog.  The dog as usual was happy to see him.  “Only a couple of more days buddy and you can come home.”

He sat there in the corner of the room petting and lightly playing with his dog.  He also made sure Dew had something to eat while he was there and made sure he ate it all.  He thought about the last couple of days and what Becca had said.  Then he remembered when he found Siannah in the locker room the night Dew was shot.  He had been so caught up in what happened to Emily.  What if he left Emily there for easy pickings?

“What if the stalker…” AJ thought and then closed his eyes pushing the theory from his mind.

“Well buddy I think I need to head home and spend some time with Siannah.” AJ said as the dog looked up at him. 

Playing with the dog a few more minutes, he said goodbye and then left the staff room.  He said goodbye to Becca on his way out and then headed to his truck.  Making a detour he headed to the local flower shop and bought her a bouquet of Daisy’s and then headed to his house. 

As he turned onto his street he looked down the road, his eyes frowned in confusion as he peered closer.  One, Two, Three RCMP cars sitting on the street, his mind did a mental check and as his heart raced when he realized they were at his house.  He sped up a little and then hit the breaks along the opposite curve.  AJ jumped out of the truck and headed across his lawn.

“Stop!” Someone shouted.  “Stop!” The man shouted again grabbing AJ’s arm.

“My name is Alex Mclean, this is my house…my…my girlfriend is in there.” AJ replied with panic.

“Come with me” The Officer said as he let go of AJ’s arm.  He followed the man to the front door and he held his breath.  His heart was going a mile a minute and his body shook with fear.  When he walked inside he looked around, clothes everywhere, the end table by the couch was knocked over, and Siannah was sitting on the couch…

“Sia!” AJ gasped out when her saw her alive.  She looked over at him as he ran up to her, knelt down and pulled her against him.  Then he pulled her away just as quickly and looked at her.  She had a bandage on her forehead, her hair was messed up and there was a bruise on the corner of her lip.  “What happened?”

“After you took off I went to start some laundry, she came flying through the door at me, and she knew exactly where I was standing.” She said and then she nodded to the dryer sitting in the small cubby across the living room.  “I hit her with the basket, then I slammed the dryer door in her face, and then ran for the Panic button on the alarm.  She grabbed me, pulled me down; we got into it on the floor.” Taking a breath Siannah continued.

“I hit her with something, I-I don’t know what it was and then I climbed to my feet and was able to reach the button.  She lunged at me, knocked me over I hit my head and passed out.  The EMT’s woke me up.”

He pulled her back into his arms.  How could he be so stupid as to leave her by herself? Knowing the stalker was waiting for the moment.  He closed his eyes and whispered.  “I’m sorry”

She pulled herself away and looked at him.  “For what?”

“For taking off, for being so miserable.” He told her.

“You’re worried about Emily, its okay really.” Siannah told him.

“No, no it’s not I should be worried about you not her.” AJ said.

“I’m fine Alex” She said with a light smile.

“When I went to the clinic I told Becca about you cooking all the time.” He said as he sat down beside her.  “She then told me why you’ve been cooking all the time.  So I think since Dew is coming home in a couple of days and lord knows he’s going to be a handful.” He sighed and she lightly smiled. “I think with what happened today, we should go away for a couple of days, stay at a hotel in Vancouver or something what ever it was you wanted to go do this morning.

“It’s okay Alex really.” Siannah said.

“Sia”

“No really, I want to stay here with you, I get why you want to be close to Dew and…” Siannah before AJ interrupted her.

“And you’re stressed, if being here is making you stressed…”

“It’s not being here.” She replied and he could tell by the tone in her voice there was more.

“Then what is it?” He asked. She didn’t say anything but he saw her lightly bit her lip.  “Sia?”

“The last couple of days, I’ve gotten the feeling that you still love her and…”

“I don’t” AJ told her.  “I love you Siannah.”

“Yeah but Alex…”

He interrupted her again.  “No buts Sia, Yes I was worried about her, I am worried about her but she left me, she wasn’t strong enough to stick this out, and she made her choice.”

“But it wasn’t yours” Siannah said

“True” AJ replied with a nod.  “But it’s my choice now and I’m not going anywhere, I’m glad she left me because now I have you.” Siannah lightly smiled as AJ pulled her into his arms and hugged her.  “Now” He said as he gently pulled her away.  “Do you want to go to Vancouver?” AJ asked. 

“No” She replied.  “We can stay here; we need to get this place ready for when Dew comes home anyways.”

“You sure?” He asked as she sat down beside her.

“Yes” She replied with a light nod.

AJ sat on the couch with her waiting while the police went over every inch of his house.  He could hear the search dogs barking here and there.  As Siannah went over with Charlie again about what had happened AJ was kind of impressed.  She fought back and she fought back hard.  His eyes drifted over to the cubby to the dryer door now closed the dent still visible and he wondered where she learned to be tough like that but then again with four brothers, he assumed maybe it came as second nature to her.

“So I will have someone posted out front and I’ll inform the coast guard to keep an extra eye on this area when they patrol.” Charlie said as Siannah stood up.  AJ looked up as she walked Charlie over to the door. “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

“Oh Charlie I’m fine, Randall and Bret have done far worse to me playing hockey.” She replied with a light laugh. 

“Alright then good night folks.” Charlie said with a wave.

“Night” AJ replied with a light smile and wave.

As Siannah walked back over to him her cell went off.  She pulled it from her belt and looked at it, then put the phone to her ear.  “Hey, what’s up…I’m fine…” AJ heard Siannah say and he could hear someone on the other end.  “No…No Bret…listen to…” Siannah grunted in frustration and AJ looked at her confused.  “I’m fine Bret” She said angrily.  “Then let me talk to Dad…Yes I knew…he told me a while ago…I don’t see…Put Dad on.” Siannah said her tone getting angrier and angrier.  “I said put…No I’m not going to Vancouver, I’m staying here.” She snapped.  “I don’t care Bret….are you going to put Dad on?” She asked and then another grunt of frustration was let out as she spoke again. “Fine!” And with that the call was ended.

“What’s going on?” AJ asked as Siannah slumped down onto the couch beside him.

“Someone from town called my Dad and told him I was attacked, he called Bret all worried, Bret called me.” Siannah said with a sigh.  “They don’t want me staying here, they want me to go to Vancouver and before you say anything no, I’m not going I don’t care if they or even you think it’s a good idea, I’m staying here.”

“I’m sorry” AJ said with a frown.  The last thing he wanted was to come between her and her family.

“Don’t be Alex they’re just worried and over reacting, they’ll calm down.” She told him as she took his hand.